Family Cultivation: Evergreen of the Song Family

"We pay our respects to the True Man Zixu."

"No gift."

With a powerful stride, Song Changsheng, surrounded by Song Qingxi and others, sat down at the head of the table. He looked around and said, "Today is the first major clan meeting of the Song family. We have welcomed many new members. Therefore, there are many proposals to be discussed at this meeting, and the scope is very broad."

You are all pillars of the family. You may speak freely at the family meeting, but you must discuss things rationally and not let personal emotions get in the way.

Today's meeting is being chaired by Song Qingxi, the deputy head of the family.

"The first item on the agenda for today's clan meeting is to announce the appointment of some elders of the [Brocade Banner] branch in the Great Qian cultivation world."

Song Zhexuan was appointed as the deputy clan chief.

Song Shouhe was appointed as the Chief of General Affairs.

Song Shoufu served as the shipping elder.

The position of deacon elder is held by Song Tianhua.

......"

Song Qingxi announced the appointment of more than a dozen elders in one go. Except for Song Zhexuan, almost all of them came from various branches of the family.

However, she didn't go too far. As the head of the family, Song Yuqing needed a group of trusted confidants to reform and manage the family. Therefore, she reserved some core positions for Song Yuqing to use as favors.

Such as law enforcement elders, law protection elders, and foreign affairs elders.

To the surprise of the members of the [Jinxiu Banner], apart from the elders who had previously come from other branches, Song Changsheng did not take the opportunity to appoint a "supervisor" or similar position, which truly surprised them.

As the victor, this is the rule that the world generally accepts.

It wasn't that Song Changsheng didn't want to plant spies; the main problem was that he didn't have many people he could use. The [Jinxiu Banner] was a huge family with over 100,000 cultivators and over 100 million mortals, which couldn't be monitored by just one or two so-called inspectors.

If the Embroidered Banner really does falter, these surveillance efforts will be like throwing meat buns to a dog—gone without a trace. It would be better to let the Wind Whisper Palace infiltrate on its own.

For him, if the Embroidered Banner dared to rebel, he would simply suppress them with force. Nothing could be more direct than that; in the face of absolute power, everything else is meaningless.

No matter how many people a family has, it's useless if it doesn't have a Golden Core cultivator in charge. At his level, it's no longer something that can be defeated by sheer numbers.

"Next, we will present the latest statistics on family population, industries, and other aspects, as well as the latest achievements of the East Sea Garrison in recent years."

The family now has fourteen out of ten branches, and its power has grown stronger than ever before, including the [Brocade Banner]...

The document, spanning tens of thousands of words and covering data from various aspects, took Song Qingxi two full hours to read.

Although the content was long, it was packed with information. The nearly ten thousand years of history of the [Splendid Banner] truly broadened everyone's horizons. Song Changsheng was also learning most of the information for the first time. He had been extremely busy lately.

Their family businesses cover dozens of industries, including elixirs, metallurgy, pills, formations, magical artifacts, spirit beasts, restaurants, and construction. Their annual profits in spirit stones are unmatched by the current Song family.

In particular, the shipbuilding industry has more than a dozen shipyards of all sizes. When operating at full capacity, they can simultaneously build hundreds of spirit ships. A typical spirit ship can be completed in a few months, an ocean warship in no more than five years, and even a warship of the third-tier heavenly ship level only takes a maximum of ten years.

Its largest shipyard, Tenglong Shipyard, can build ten ocean-going warships at the same time, launching them at a rate as fast as dumplings being dropped into boiling water. It is the absolute leader in the shipbuilding industry of the Great Qian cultivation world.

If they spare no expense, they could rebuild an East China Sea Fleet of the same size in just a few decades.

During peacetime, the demand for ships is not high, and there are few times when they are fully armed. However, in the last war with the sea creatures, many spirit ships and warships of various forces were sunk, which made them a fortune. To this day, some orders have not yet been fulfilled.

Besides shipbuilding, [Jinxiuqi] also holds a significant market share in spiritual plants, metallurgy, and other fields.

It's no wonder that Thousand Blade City and the Vast Ocean Chamber of Commerce joined forces to fight against them, because their main industries were almost completely suppressed by the [Brocade Banner], leaving them no room to develop. Under their constant encroachment, they were even on the verge of losing their basic base.

Although it was a clan meeting, some information was top secret even within the [Jinxiu Banner], so Song Qingxi omitted this part during the meeting.

What interests Song Changsheng the most is that Tenglong Shipyard is secretly building a fourth-tier celestial warship.

This project was proposed by Song Shouhe and approved by Song Wuji. It has been going on for several decades and has invested no less than 20 million spirit stones.

Unfortunately, this weapon of war was never completed.

On the first day after the recapture of the Tenglong Islands, Song Youfu ordered his men to pack up all the craftsmen and engineers who had participated in the construction and bring them back to the Twin Islands.

The main body of the spaceship and its most crucial drive core have been completed. At the original construction speed, it should be completed in a maximum of another ten years.

If this celestial warship had been stationed on the Tenglong Islands, perhaps Song Tianyuan's fate would have been different, but unfortunately, there are no "what ifs".

In addition to an unfinished celestial warship, the Song family also obtained a piece of Deep Sea Crystal from the treasure vault of the Embroidered Banner.

In order to create the driving core of the fourth-tier spaceship, [Jinxiuqi] spent a lot of money to purchase three [Deep Sea Crystals].

One piece was destroyed due to a calculation error during its construction, another became the driving core of the Sky Ship, and only one spare piece was taken by Song Jiyuan before his escape, eventually ending up in Song Changsheng's pocket.

With this [Deep Sea Celestial Crystal], it means he can activate the second fourth-tier puppet he brought back from the Eastern Heaven Cultivation World.

Although the Song family's strength has increased dramatically due to the acquisition of the Brocade Banner, many new problems have also arisen.

Both Tianlong Peak and Tenglong Islands require Golden Core cultivators to oversee them. After the Golden Core Ceremony concludes, Zhuang Yuechan will have to head to Tenglong Islands to prevent the Black Scale Clan from making a comeback, while also being responsible for deterring Thousand Blade City and the Hanhai Chamber of Commerce.

This fourth-tier puppet can help relieve her of the pressure.

Once the fourth-tier celestial warships are completed, the defenses of the Tenglong Islands will be secure.

The first two days of the clan council meeting were spent almost entirely on various statistics and reports. After all, with so many new branches and businesses suddenly appearing, simply sorting them out was a massive undertaking.

On the third day of the clan meeting, the chairperson changed from Song Qingxi to the elder of punishments, Song Changxue.

Her face seemed to be covered with frost. The moment she stepped onto the stage, the hall was completely silent. Everyone held their breath and waited for that moment to arrive.

"Next, a group of heinous war criminals will be tried. Bring them all up."

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of law enforcement monks escorted a string of prisoners into the room.

The leader was naturally the number one criminal, Song Daoling.

As a Golden Core cultivator, he was still given some basic dignity, though his cultivation was completely sealed and his mobility restricted.

At this moment, his eyes scanned back and forth in the hall, and all those he looked at fearfully avoided his gaze, not daring to meet his eyes.

Their fear gave Song Daoling a brief moment of pleasure, making him feel that he was still the same Supreme Elder who was second only to the Emperor.

Just then, he suddenly felt two extremely sharp gazes. Turning his head, he saw two minor cultivators, a man and a woman, one at the Purple Mansion stage and the other at the Foundation Establishment stage.

In his eyes, these were just two ants that he could crush at will, but now, the anger and coldness in the eyes of these two ants made him feel a sense of fear.

After fear came shame and anger; he was actually afraid of the gaze of two ants—it was utterly ridiculous.

Behind him followed a group of serious criminals, including Song Jiyuan, Song Wuji, and Song Xianghu.

Song Daoling was high above and had never looked down, so he didn't know who the owner of those two gazes was, nor did he know why the other party hated him so much.

But these people knew all too well.

Those were two siblings, whose names shared the same generational origin as theirs. One was named Song Yulong, and the other was named Song Yushi!
Everything, it can be said, originated from them.

"You two little brats, we should have investigated you thoroughly back then and sent you to hell to reunite with that short-lived ghost, Song Luke." Song Wuji was like a madman, wishing he could pounce on the two siblings and strangle them to death right now.

"Even in shackles, he still doesn't behave."

One of the deacons held tightly to the chains, restricting his movements, while another deacon took out a specially made copper whip and mercilessly lashed his kneecap.

Song Wuji felt a sharp pain in his legs and then collapsed to his knees, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

He was once the head of a clan, wielding great power, but now he has become a prisoner, and a few Foundation Establishment cultivators can humiliate him at will.

Such a contrast is tantamount to falling suddenly from heaven to the bottom of the valley.

"You... are you just going to watch them humiliate me like this?" Song Wuji glared fiercely at the [Brocade Banner] cultivators around him and roared at the top of his lungs.

To his surprise, everyone looked at him with cold eyes.

Of those present, perhaps not everyone was truly subservient to Song Changsheng, but they all absolutely hated Song Wuji and Song Jiyuan to the core.

What a glorious family it was, to have fallen to such a state.

Song Changxue looked at him coldly and said, "This elder advises you to be quiet, otherwise your crime will be compounded."

"Who do you think you are, to presume to judge me?" Song Daoling said with disdain.

"Considering your status as a Golden Core cultivator, I've preserved some dignity for you these past few days. Since you're so ungrateful, then kneel down and await judgment!"

As soon as he finished speaking, several fierce law enforcement officers rushed forward, each holding a three-inch-long, thick black iron nail, which they drove directly into Song Daoling's legs and spine.

Song Daoling collapsed to the ground, utterly powerless. He was forced to kneel before Song Changxue by the steward, his mouth gagged, looking as pathetic as a stray dog.

"Song Daoling, a member of the 【Jinxiuqi】 branch, held the power of the family as the Supreme Elder, harmed his own clan, disregarded the law, and abused his power for personal gain, causing his clan to kill each other."

Fear and refusal to fight, allowing the Tenglong Islands to be besieged, led to the fall of Elder Tianyuan.

When the clan was in peril, he abandoned his own kind in an attempt to escape alone, a crime that is utterly unforgivable.

Now, according to the clan rules, I, the elder, sentence Song Daoling to the crime of treason.

"Immediately expel him from the family genealogy, behead him and circulate his head far and wide, destroy his spirit and soul, and annihilate his true essence. All his direct blood relatives, regardless of age, shall be punished as a warning to others."

Upon hearing his verdict, Song Daoling's eyes turned bloodshot, and he nearly broke through the seal within his body. However, Song Changsheng flicked his finger and pierced through his dantian, completely depriving him of any chance to resist.

After the verdict was handed down, Song Changsheng did not give him even a moment to breathe. In front of everyone, he beheaded him and completely annihilated his soul and spirit without leaving a trace.

Even in death, Song Daoling remained kneeling.

Everyone present was terrified. This was a high-ranking Golden Core cultivator, yet he was executed in public in such a humiliating manner.

The fear he felt for Song Changsheng deepened even further.

And that is precisely the purpose of holding this public trial.

Song Youfu is absolutely right. Over the years, the Song family's policies toward these affiliated forces have been so good that some people have almost forgotten what kind of person he is.

This is a perfect opportunity to re-establish one's authority.

This is not only aimed at the subordinate forces below, but also at the neighbors around who each have their own ulterior motives.

Although Song is young, he is a fierce tiger and not someone that can be trifled with. He would kill even a Golden Core cultivator without hesitation.

Looking at the headless corpse that was still convulsing, Song Zhexuan closed his eyes in pain.

The last remaining Golden Core cultivator on the [Splendid Banner] is also finished.

He didn't regret the deaths of these people; what he regretted was the family he had fought for all his life.

Seeing Song Daoling executed so swiftly and decisively, the remaining prisoners finally panicked, their legs trembling uncontrollably.

The elders, who once held high positions of power, behaved in the most despicable way at this moment.

Unfortunately, there will be no survivors in this trial.

Song Changxue announced the verdicts for everyone in one breath.

Song Wuji and Song Jiyuan were charged with crimes similar to those of Song Daoling, and were ultimately convicted of treason. They were beheaded by Song Yushi and Song Yulong, and their heads were placed neatly next to Song Daoling's.

After this meeting, all members of the Song clan will see them.

Other elders, such as Song Xianghu and Song Xiangcun, were also sentenced to death.

However, most of them were able to leave behind a complete corpse, and their true spirits still had the opportunity to be reincarnated.

He killed twelve Purple Mansion cultivators and one Golden Core cultivator in one fell swoop, and the entire council hall was filled with a nauseating stench of blood.

The elders of the Embroidered Banner didn't even dare to breathe loudly.

Song Changsheng's gaze swept across their faces one by one, and he said in an icy tone, "These people should have died on the battlefield like Elder Tianyuan, but they didn't. They chose to become leeches, clinging to their families and sucking their blood."

These people have forgotten the teachings of their ancestors and their responsibilities as members of the Song clan.

Today, as this is a public execution, I hope that all of you present will take this as a warning and not follow in their footsteps!

^……^ (End of this chapter)